Angkor Wats elephants (Compagnie des Eléphants d’Angkor)

After Angor Wat you start see elephants on the roads...

The elephant Gom Phoy (Sophib)

During the day, elephants await customers near Bayon or at the South Gate of Angkor Thom. In the evenings, elephants are stationed at the base of Phnom Bakheng, ready to transport riders up the hill for sunset. $10-$15 for a 25 minute ride. All those elephants are managed by Compagnie des Eléphants d’Angkor.

Its not too easy to find their stables, but some tuk-tuk drivers know where the stables are.

Shortly after Angkor Wat, opposite the hill Phnom Bakheng...

“At the center of the superior terrace is a base of about 1 meter high, having 30 meters in the north and south direction, 31.5 meters east and west. It was on this base that the towers that overlook the surrounding land were elevated."
Francis Garnier 1866

are some food and coffe stalls, flanked left by a dirt road...

...leading to the gate of Compagnie des Eléphants d’Angkor

The stables have a practical design...

...circling a round water pool.

At the stable also the saddles are stored under a sign...

with Khmer letters, which left me qurious.

Although uninvited, I was politely let in by the friendly mahouts, however the names and ages of elephants are probably not correct, several duplicates like Chitan, Chitan II, Chitan III etc...

Chiben 50 years

Chitan 45 years

Chiten 35 yea

Another Chitan 45 years...

Chitan nr I, 45 years

Sambo 14 years????

The bull Thongkam 48 years??

The staff politely gave me 10 minutes, why the pictures are not the best quality, but at least I managed to get in and take pictures, which I didnt last time. 

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And the next day, after a boring 8 hours trip, I arrived in Phnom Penh again.